David Barnert Posted July 1, 2005 Share Posted July 1, 2005 This has been all over the internet (Mudcat.org, Morris Dance Discussion List, several forwarded bulk e-mails), so I don't suppose I'm divulging any confidential patient information. The following is culled from several of these sources. John Roberts (renowned Anglo player and entertainer) was taken to Ellis Hospital in Schenectady, NY from the Old Songs Festival last weekend with chest pain symptoms. It has been determined that he has some pretty serious coronary artery disease and will be undergoing open heart surgery tomorrow morning (Friday) and if all goes as planned, he will be going home on Tuesday. According to Robyn Boyd [John's agent], the prognosis is very good. He's probably had some small heart attacks and not realized it. He is reportedly in good spirits. After surgery, John will likely have limited mobility for awhile and rehab will be about 6 months -- after a year he will likely feel better than he has in years. He had trouble carrying a concertina from one workshop to another. John is busy right now canceling all his bookings for the summer. And (this is the REALLY good news) he just got insurance (for the first time) last year, so he's covered. John has said we should feel free to share this information with anyone who may be interested. Please keep John in your thoughts - perhaps just stop for a moment on Friday morning and think of him then - send your good vibrations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Timson Posted July 1, 2005 Share Posted July 1, 2005 I wish him well. He is a nice chap. I once had a most enjoyable Indian meal with him in Albany NY. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimLucas Posted July 1, 2005 Share Posted July 1, 2005 John is a fine man, a fine musician, and a fine performer... both solo and with others. I once stole a lever from my Jeffries duet to repair John's anglo. Some day I'll get the duet working, but in the meantime I have no regrets. The world is better served. I wish him all the best, and I look forward to hearing him perform in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animaterra Posted July 1, 2005 Share Posted July 1, 2005 Yes, thanks David, I should have done this myself, since I was at Old Songs and spoke to John several times before he went missing. He was looking hot and tired (but so were we all!) but seemed his usual cordial, funny self. On Saturday afternoon he participated in a sea songs workshop with Michael Cooney, Alistair Brown, and Danny Spooner (my friend and I dubbed the session, "dueling concertinas"- they all had theirs, and kept admiring and showing them off). He was low-energy, but not alarmingly so. He was supposed to MC the evening performance on the main stage, and I was concerned when he wasn't there- I think it must have been Bill Spence who took his place. The next day, at the English barn dance workshop, I heard the whole story from Gail Griffith. Apparently Bill Spence talked with him and urged him to check in at the first aid tent. The rest is history! The surgery is today. I know he will be held up by hundreds of well-wishers sending healing thoughts. And after all of this- he's bound to feel so much better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Barnert Posted July 2, 2005 Author Share Posted July 2, 2005 (edited) Fellow concertina player George Ward has posted the following on Mudcat. I see no more current information, but I'm sure George will update it when he gets a chance. I will have limited internet access for the rest of the weekend and may not be able to post updates here. Note that although the thread is titled "John Roberts surgery," many of the messages were posted long before the actual surgery. The thread can be seen in its entirety at: http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=82503&messages=38 Subject: RE: John Roberts surgeryFrom: georgeward Date: 01 Jul 05 - 03:22 PM This will be short. Big storm bearing down. John made it through surgery very well, by all the signs so far. In the end, they did a quadruple bypass, not a triple. We have no remarks from the surgeon yet about the change. He is in ICU, still unconscious, slowly being warmed up and showing good numbers. The present plan will have him back on the cardiac unit, sitting up and moving tomorrow. Lisa will be seeing him again in a couple of hours, by which time he'll likely be (somewhat) awake. By then, there may be more word from the doctors as well. Good news, though. We've seen him. He looks as good as a thoroughly entubed fellow can look. More later, - George Oh, and as an anesthesiologist, I can't let that pass: The word is "intubated." edited for clarity. Edited July 2, 2005 by David Barnert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animaterra Posted July 2, 2005 Share Posted July 2, 2005 Thanks, David- Mudcat's been down today so I haven't had access. Good news, indeed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhomylly Posted July 2, 2005 Share Posted July 2, 2005 That *is* good news! John has been an icon of mine since childhood. While my contemporaries were buying the 45's of and pinning up the posters of Shaun Cassidy and Andy Gibb, I was cranking Spencer the Rover on my stereo again...and again...and again...and if the album had come with its own poster, I'd have permanently stapled it to my wall sooo fast! (ah the dreamy fantasies of a pre-pubescent girl...) Ahem. Anyway, tonight is my semi-regular gig at the local bookstore. I will, of course, dedicate my playing to John's recovery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bellowbelle Posted July 2, 2005 Share Posted July 2, 2005 That *is* good news! John has been an icon of mine since childhood.... <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I'm certainly a fan of his! I met him at the first concertina workshop I attended, before I knew what to do with the thing (concertina). He was a participant in Roy Clinging's workshop in Portsmouth NH that year. I recall that he made some very good comments and observations, that have been a help in my learning to play. Best wishes to John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted July 3, 2005 Share Posted July 3, 2005 He tops my prayer list now. Although I don't know him, with this thread I feel that I do. Please keep us posted on his recovery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhomylly Posted July 3, 2005 Share Posted July 3, 2005 I see on Mudcat that he's out of ICU and doing very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hammeringal Posted July 5, 2005 Share Posted July 5, 2005 Much thanks to David for the info. It may have been "all over the Internet" but this is the first report I have seen. A bunch of us John Roberts fans from Connecticut were at Old Songs & drove home Saturday, (some left after seeing his performance in the barn) and hadn't heard the news. So I forwarded this to my non-concertina-playing friends. Do keep us updated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Hall Posted July 7, 2005 Share Posted July 7, 2005 (edited) John is at home. Details at http//www.mudcat.org. Keep on healing -- Tom Edited July 7, 2005 by Tom Hall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Barnert Posted July 7, 2005 Author Share Posted July 7, 2005 John posted a message on Mudcat yesterday, and rather than repost it here, I'll link to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhomylly Posted July 8, 2005 Share Posted July 8, 2005 Thank you, David. I think we all needed that spot of good news today... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helen Posted July 9, 2005 Share Posted July 9, 2005 Thanks, David. I was just thinking about him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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